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The Hallelujah Lands
A series of massive underground crevices and bodies of water partially created and terraformed in pre-history by ancient African explorers known as the Ka'a. Together the crevices make up an area the size of Europe and are teeming with wild habitats and strange creatures. A large body of water, the Undersea, filters into various inland rivers. Access is granted via entrances in various areas through an underground tunnel system. The cavern system is lit by luminous coral. Inhabitants Various kinds of peoples, sentient creatures, and megafauna populate the vast cavern space. Due to long standing native populations and incursion of humans from the surface there are multiple societies and cultures. Civilizations and Groups Newmidya A powerful Maroon kingdom in the Hollow Lands founded in 1615 situated in the North consisting of three major cities/territories (Promise Town, the Camp, Alafia) and numerous small villages. Civic rule is maintained by various councils, local chiefs and their small councils, and a form of direct democracy. Military and religious life is governed by a “divine” royal family/secret society. Direct blood royals in certain families are trained from birth as warriors, learning the basics as well as various specialized and familial techniques during youth before settling into some aspect of military life generally command and elite combat units, including infantry. A national military academy is maintained through which citizens can enter the upper echelons of military service. The training is grueling though the payoff can be substantial as the Newmidyans are primarily a meritocracy. A large national guard is maintained through a volunteer force of warriors who dedicate themselves to military service in return for the usual food, clothing, shelter. Newmidyan lifestyle naturally guarantees a level of military readiness so these troops can be especially effective. Some of these citizen soldiers join the ranks of Zangbeto, a kind of national police agency. Promise Town Founded in 1611 by John Promise, an Imbangala warrior captured by the British and attached as a guard to a British colonial expedition. The British discover the Spanish mining colony of Los Bajo and attempt to build a base from which to import more British. The base camp is almost immediately attacked by Spanish and indigenous forces, and the members begin to suffer from disease. Sold to the Spanish authorities by the starving colonials John Promise soon escapes with fellow guardsman and other Spanish captives. Seizing weapons and supplies he leads Africans, Native Americans, and free blacks to a resource rich area with coastal access free of Spanish control. As the town grows they fend off numerous attacks from the Spanish colony, as well as the indigenous peoples. Despite the frequent warfare, the Townsfolk or Towners establish a legendary haven for escaped slaves. The Camp A massive tent city/trading post/religious center located in an oasis in the interior north of the Hollow Lands. Organized by John Promise from the chaotic landscape of the Southern Territories, the city is the seat of a federation of peoples who owe allegiance to Newmidya. Alafia Established in 1692 in a huge valley beneath the Sentinel Mountains by young members of the royal family and an influx of rebel slaves, free blacks, runaways from the thirteen colonies, Native Americans, their black allies/vassals, and a small number of whites. The modern weapons and seasoned military of the Newmidyans allows them to subdue or drive away the valley's inhabitants. The large number of free blacks are educated and skilled, together with the African and Spanish tinged royals they found the town on utopian ideals. Universities are built, national institutions are established and a huge urban city develops making it the seat of great technological advancements. The Alafians also codify and further ritualize the state religion while allowing for freedom of religious choice. In 1740 the city is attacked by a coalition of the Kingdom of Bajos, it's vassal Aleman city states, indigenous Hollanders and refugee Native Americans mercenaries. Despite the elite forces and technological superiority of the Newmidyans they are on the verge of being overrun until an influx of refugee black Americans fleeing the new South Carolina slave codes, displaced West African warriors, and North African Mercenaries, Ethiopian mercenaries enter the Hollow Lands through various means. The Kingdom of Bajos Originally a military settlement built by the Spanish conquistadors sent into the Hollow Lands. Initially able to dominate and depopulate the indigenous people who come to be known as Hollanders, they establish a powerful collection of city states controlled by a ruling family and supreme monarch. Over time they introduce more peoples into the Hollow Lands, such as German mercenaries, Muslim Indian Allies, and various mercenary groups. Their army is based primarily on pike and shot as well as 12th century European heavy cavalry techniques. The mounted knights proved key in the defeat of the Hollanders who fought purely as infantry and lived in Great Low Plain. Aleman A loose confederation of territories ruled by German warlords. Founded by Landsknecht mercenaries on traditional Germanic tribal traditions, they have culturally intermingled with the Hollanders, producing rare hybrids. The Aleman tribes typically formed a buffer against the Hollanders and the Spanish rulers. The landsknect style continues among the warlords, their families, and personal bands, with their vassals typically consisting of spearmen and traditional Germanic swordsmen armed with sword and shields with crude grenades strapped to the back of the latter. The Hollander hybrid tribes are known for their large size with some of their elite warriors serving as mobile artillery, carrying huge harness secured cannon on their backs. Hollanders Large, powerful, gray or pale white skinned humanoids, believed to be descended from above born Homo Erectus, Neanderthal, and Cro magnon refugees who coalesced into one main group. Arranged in tribes, they dominate much of the Hollow Lands before human invasion. Seen as sub human savages by the Spanish the two sides reach an uneasy truce after years of conflict. They are just entering a Bronze Age when the Spanish invade the area and are dominated by powerful chieftains and tribal heros sometimes equipped metallic weapons. Bigfeet Scattered tribes of sasquatch living in an around the Sentinel Mountains. The creatures exist at the Stone Age level and frequently come into conflict with the Hollander tribes who view them as dangerous and semi sacred. The creatures are some of the Hollow's oldest inhabitants and are being displaced, exterminated, and enslaved. Anumen Humanoids with ant-like hive society. Smaller, more agile than humans, remarkably resilient.Category:330 Universe Category:The Springville Narratives Category:The Hallelujah Lands